Marcus stiffened, his brother's voice acting like a bucket of ice water over the heat that had suffused him just a moment ago.

He cleared his throat and leaned back, his entire body rebelling at the increased distance between him and the object of his desire. Trying to be as casual as possible he looked up into Derek's unhappy face.

"Hey. Did you say something?" Marcus asked, younger brother smirk firmly in place.

"I'll deal with you in a minute," Derek barked. Then his voice shifted, taking on a gentle nurturing tone Marcus rarely heard him use. "Renee. How is everything? Have you gotten any news yet?"

"They have him in for tests. They're looking for any internal damage, including swelling in his brain." Her voice cracked and Marcus reached over to take her hand, watching her struggle to hold it together.

Fuck Derek, Marcus thought. There was no way he was going to back down from taking care of this woman. She needed him. If he didn't help her, who would? Her mother who was sick at home? Her brother who was possibly a vegetable in the next wing? Or maybe her father who apparently couldn't even be bothered to stick around and raise his own children? No, Renee needed someone, and dammit, Marcus wanted to be that someone.

Derek sat on Renee's other side and patted her on the back awkwardly. "He's young, kids that age heal fast, and this is one of the best trauma hospitals in the country."

Renee looked at him, then at Marcus, her brow wrinkling in confusion. "I wondered why he was here instead of at Lincoln. I mean, it was right down the street from where the accident happened. Did you have something to do with that?" she asked to both of them at once.

"After I saw him..." Marcus said, darting looks at Derek. He wasn't sure how much to reveal. Normally his brother reveled in manipulating circumstances to suit his interests, but Marcus wasn't sure that applied when it involved his secretary.

"I figured it couldn't hurt to get him to the best facility right off the bat," Derek interjected. "Maybe it was overkill, but as soon as Marcus phoned I went ahead and had the arrangements made. I have a friend at the Pentagon and he was in charge of the scene since it was adjacent to the White House."

Renee's eyes sparkled with unshed tears and she held her hand to her mouth the way she had earlier, holding it all inside as best she could. She nodded rapidly, then whispered, "Thank you. For everything."

Derek didn't say anything, just put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. It was everything brotherly, but it raised Marcus's ire all the same.

"Now," Derek said, standing again. "Why don't I go rattle some cages and see if we can get updated information?"

"Oh, yes, that would be great," Renee answered, hope spreading across her face.

Marcus stood, toe to toe with Derek, taking this opportunity to impart exactly how strongly he felt. "I'm going to stay here until we know what's happening and make sure Renee gets home safely." His gaze rested on Derek's ice-cold blue eyes. The older man had stared down presidents, corporate CEOs and foreign dignitaries with those eyes, but he gave Marcus a sharp nod before saying, "Fine, but don't forget what I've told you. Tread carefully brother. I won't put up with anyone being jerked around."

Marcus narrowed his gaze and refused to look away until Derek turned and strode off to the reception desk.

"Are you two always so intense?" Renee asked, a small scowl on her face.

"No, we usually get along great. He gives me crap, but it's all in fun. Lately though he's been yanking my chain for no real reason."

"Why's that?" she asked, although her tone said she had a suspicion what it was all about.

Marcus knew the timing was piss poor, but he couldn't bring himself to pull any punches, not with this woman and the way he felt about her.

"Because of you," he said simply.

Renee inhaled sharply, causing Marcus's own breath to stutter in reflex.

"Marcus," she told him in a pleading voice. "You can't keep saying this stuff. And you really can't let a silly crush damage your relationship with your brother."

"A silly crush? Is that what you think is going on here?" he asked quietly, on pins and needles to hear her response.

"Isn't it?" Her voice betrayed every bit of her fear, and suddenly Marcus knew he'd been selfish to start the conversation. She was overwhelmed, torn to pieces over her brother, and nowhere near ready to hear that he was infatuated with her, that he felt things when he touched her that he'd never felt with any other woman, that he thought about her constantly and had no interest in anyone else.

"You're right, I have a silly crush on you and Derek cannot stomach the idea that I might pursue you. He seems to think that one date with me will turn you off of him and the company forever."

He bumped her shoulder with his to reinforce the casual nature of his feelings. She grinned at him, relief apparent in every movement of her body.

"Well, it depends, where would this date be?”

He examined her, putting on an expression as though he were doing a complex analysis. "I'm thinking a little sushi at Nefron, then dancing at the Turner Club."

"Sushi? You think I’d like sushi?"

"Am I right?"

She pursed her lips and looked away, trying not to smile. "I couldn't say, it might make your head even bigger than it already is."

“I knew it!” His heart raced a little with the satisfaction that while she might not want to hear how gone for her he was, he knew things about her. And he would learn more, regardless of what his brother thought.

Renee suddenly stood, and he saw Derek approaching, his expression severe and foreboding.

“Oh my God,” she said, trembling. “What is it? What did you find out?”

Derek put a hand on her elbow and Marcus stood to be next to her.

“He’s in surgery, they found a brain bleed.”

“Oh God,” Renee whispered, slumping against Marcus’s side. He quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and shifted her weight to lean against him. “No, no, no. This can’t be happening,” she repeated.

Derek looked at Marcus and shook his head, indicating that things were not good. Marcus’s heart plummeted, his gut twisting in fear. If David didn’t survive, he knew Renee would be lost in a way that she couldn’t return from.

“I’ve got us access to a different waiting room in the surgery wing. You’ll be close by when they’re done so you can hear exactly how it all went.”

After the three had made their way to a smaller, less crowded waiting room, Derek motioned to Marcus to join him in the hallway outside.

“Look,” Marcus said as soon as the door closed with Renee safely on the other side. “I know what you’re going to say—”

“Really? Maybe that’s because I’ve already said it several times? Or maybe because it’s the kind of thing you should know without me having to say it.”

Marcus scratched his head and tried not to cringe at his brother’s tone. He’d never seen Derek be such an asshole. Gone was the mentor of his childhood and post-adolescence. In his place was Derek the political shark, mean and domineering.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not a child, Derek—”

“Then quit acting like one.”

Another stare down commenced and this time Marcus gave first, leaning back against the wall of the hallway and focusing on the fluorescent lights overhead.

“I’m not playing around. I like her. She’s smart and genuine, and tough as hell. I’d like to get to know her. And don’t tell me to go find someone else. Girls like her aren’t a dime a dozen.”

“No,” Derek echoed, “anyone can tell she’s special, and that’s why I don’t want you messing with her. She doesn’t have anyone to look after her.” He paused. “She reminds me of Jessica, and there are things going on in her family—”

Marcus shuddered. Jessica was their younger cousin who had been killed in a rafting accident. Derek had been on the trip although not in the same raft, and he’d never quite gotten over the guilt.

“Her mother’s cancer,” Marcus interjected.

“She told you?”

“Yeah. It’s a terrible deal all the way around.”

“So you see why you can’t go there, Marcus. Not only do I not want to lose a great employee, I also feel a responsibility for her. I can’t control who she runs into out in the world, but if it’s my own brother who she met at my office that screws with her, then that is on me.”

Marcus sighed in frustration. He’d never felt like his brother doubted him in any other facet of his life. In fact, Derek had always been his biggest supporter, telling him that he could do anything he set his mind to. But that faith obviously didn’t apply here.

“Right now all I want to do is help her. Be a friend. She deserves someone in her corner and if things don’t turn out well with her brother tonight, she’s going to need all the support she can get.”

Derek considered him for a moment, those icy eyes assessing him, peeling away layers of his skin, layers of who he was. “Fine, but there are conditions.”

“I’m an adult, in case you hadn’t noticed, and so is she.”

“You’re an adult when I quit paying for your apartment and your beemer,” Derek huffed.

Shit. There was that. “First paycheck comes in a few days,” Marcus shot back.

“Good. I’ll quit subsidizing you. In the meantime, you can be a friend to Renee, but if I find out you’ve taken it further than that you’ll find all of your sources for stories in this town have dried up overnight.”

Jesus. Marcus’s throat burned with rage that flowed up like bile. “What the hell has gotten into you? You’re threatening my career now?” Marcus shook his head in disbelief, disgust soaked into him. “Oh my God. You’ve got a thing for her, don’t you? You

motherfu—”

Derek’s arm came up to block Marcus as he reached out to shove the older man. “Me? What the hell’s gotten into you? You haven’t taken a swing at me since you were fifteen. You think here in the hospital hallway is really the place?”

“Tell me it’s not true. Tell me you don’t want Renee for yourself,” Marcus’s voice carried down the hall.

“Quiet down. You’re making a scene that neither one of us can afford,” Derek hissed.

“And of course I’m not interested in Renee. For Christ’s sake I’m practically old enough to be her father.”

Marcus snorted. “This is D.C., a twelve-year age gap isn’t even remarked on here.”

“Well, I’m still a guy from working-class Michigan, and our mother didn’t raise me to take advantage of sweet young women who work for me. So no. I repeat—I’m not interested in Renee. But I am interested in keeping her from being hurt when I can stop it. Are you going to give me your word or not?”

Marcus bristled. Normally he did what his brother asked. Normally he liked his brother. But right now, as he stood there wondering if Derek really would follow through on his threats, wondering how he’d ended up in a battle of wills with his incredibly controlling and influential older brother, Marcus didn’t like him so much. In fact, he was finding he didn’t like much in this whole day.

He threw his hands up like Derek had a gun pointed at him, which wasn’t that far from the truth.

“You win. I won’t lay a hand on her. But I get to be her friend—at least until this crap with David is done.”

Derek gave one sharp nod. “I need to go, I’ve got to check in on my favorite presidential prospect before I go home, and I’ve got an early morning tomorrow as well. It’s going to be a hell of a day without Renee there. You’ll call me if there’s any news?”

“Yeah, I’ll call.”

“See you later then.” Derek lifted one corner of his lips in an attempt at a smile, but Marcus didn’t even try to return it. He strode to the door of the waiting room and slipped in, never looking back at the man who until a few days ago had been his best friend his whole life.